1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an user profile information data structure for browsing of multimedia data and a multimedia browsing method using the same, and more particularly, to a content-based multimedia data indexing and browsing system in which an user-preferred browsing method is contained in an user profile, and multimedia browsing based on user preference is provided using an user-preferred browsing information contained in this profile, in implementing multimedia data browsing.
2. Description of the Background Art
In multimedia data indexing and browsing in the conventional art, there have been introduced techniques for variously displaying multimedia data based on user preference.
In internet shopping by using of a multimedia data indexing and browsing system based on user preference, there is a method of selecting only preferred items stored in an user profile by each user and displaying each product in a different way, not displaying all information items used in the internet shopping.
For example, in the case that some user mainly uses price and specification information, some user mainly uses design information, and some user mainly uses product information of a certain particular company in checking electronic products through the internet shopping, each user is given the above preferred information as its own user profile. In case that an user mainly uses price and specification in this preferred information, merely the information containing only price and specification is displayed to the user although other information such as photographs is provided by the user. And, in case of an user who prefers design information, design (photograph) information is mainly displayed. In this way, the information appropriate for the preference of each user is displayed.
In addition, there have been introduced techniques for providing a terminal desk-top interface such as a computer to an user in an user-desired form in a multimedia indexing and browsing system based on user preference in the conventional art.
In other words, the terminal desk-top interface that the corresponding user prefers (or designates) is recorded in its user profile, and then the form of the interface stored in the corresponding user profile is provided to the user.
Besides, there have been techniques for supporting help information in the form that user prefers using the recorded usage pattern of user in another conventional art.
The above-mentioned techniques considering user preference (use pattern) in the conventional art all reflects partial user preference in the current restricted application.
Nowadays, the content description is described in the data for supporting the content-based multimedia indexing/browsing. In the case the various browsing method are possible, so if there is the information describing user preference, user can browse multimedia data in the preferred browsing method using preferred browser.
In other words, among a variety of browsers for performing content-based multimedia data indexing and browsing, there may be browsers that is particularly preferred, or browsers that is preferred by the type of multimedia data to the user. However, since the maintenance and management of such data is not achieved, the user cannot enjoy his or her right to various selection, but also must be satisfied with parts of the browsers restrictively provided in a given environment.